The first thing you need to do is call and make an appointment with a health care provider — like your local Planned Parenthood health center — to get tested. When you’re making the appointment, you should mention the specific STDs you want to be tested for, to make sure they offer those tests.

While you’re on the phone, you can ask how much it will cost to get tested and whether you’ll need a parent present if you’re under 18. In general, parental permission is not needed for STD testing. But there may be places where, for one reason or another, a health care provider will need a parent’s permission, or notify a parent about STD testing.

When you go in for your appointment, you’ll have a chance to talk with your health care provider about your health and sexual history. This is a good time to tell her/him about any symptoms you’ve been noticing, how many partners you’ve had, and whether you’ve had unprotected sex.

Testing for both herpes and HIV can be done with a blood sample, but it’s possible that your health care provider might want to use another kind of test — like an oral swab (for HIV) or fluid from an open sore (for herpes). Your health care provider will let you know when you’ll get your results back. Click here to learn more about getting tested for STDs.